A Time to Play On
by Aiko Isari
Summary: Let's give the manga and game worlds some love, shall we? A drabble collection. 16 - Taiga doesn't know what to say. Poem.
1. Professional

_Warning for child soldiers and murder._

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1\. Professional

Sayo's quick-soft steps countered his, heavy and long. She didn't question him, hardly ever spoke when he said that he knew where to go. He didn't stop her from following. There was that familiar dead eyed look on her face, the one she had had in Resistor Jungle, catcalling about Light Fang traitors and not really meaning it.

He felt the weight in his mouth and worked his jaw. He spat his gum and fingered his crossbow.

"They died for _this_ ," he said incredulously, looking at the sky that was more like a broken planetarium ceiling.

"Not dead yet." Her voice was chirping like birds.

"You left that wound."

"I did!"

"Could try to sound a little less full of yourself about it."

It was oddly comforting, how the children of their home were accustomed to death and war. They accepted, they became a part of things. They were a cog in the machine.

If they lost, they would see a new machine. Or rather, they themselves wouldn't. They accepted this. They all knew this. That was why they had to win.

Sayo hummed, quick soft, quick ease. "Gotta kill them," she singsonged. "I stuck the knife myself, those guys won't do any good to us now. Let's go play the final round."

Koh laughed in her ear. "And then what will we do? Kill each other?"

"Sure!"

They laughed again, together. If only it was a game.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ Just a little meta, that. Anyway, another drabble collection from me. It's the only way I stay sane, honestly. This one is manga and game only to help me survive the bingo. So less freedom here. Oh well.

Challenges: Manga/Game Flash 125 - setting: Chaos Brain, Diversity Writing Challenge I2. a drabble collection of drabbles between 50-500 words (I'm always doing I somehow, mangaverse boot camp 50 - achiever, and gameverse boot camp 43 - activity


	2. Cancel

_A/N: For the Manga/Game flash bingo 212 - character: Yggdrasil_

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Cancel

Norn will freely admit that she doesn't know how to type.

She's never had to. Either conversation or converting telepathy into speech has always been good enough. But neither of those things would reach the people she wanted to now.

So words, a letter, were her best bet. But where was one to start? Where was she to begin about how much she missed all of them, how they would probably know more about running a world because they at least had governments.

She typed again, watched System World, deleted again.

A Chibimon touched her foot.

Norn sighed aloud. Some god she was. She couldn't even write a letter.

She shut her eyes, opened them again, and started to write. Then, duty called, and she forgot about it for a long while yet.

Until an email popped overhead and Piximon rushed to her with his spear brandished high, endlessly excited.

When she went back again, the drafted letter had deleted itself.


	3. Fell Down

_For the game/manga flash bingo: 315 - prompt: minister_

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3\. Fell Down

Chibi.

Monsters don't leave a corpse.

Sometimes they don't leave an egg.

They just go.

"I was happy."

How could you be happy? You died without being alive how could you be happy?

How could you be happy because you got to meet a failure like me? Shouldn't it have been the other way around? What is wrong with this world that takes you children away? Why couldn't I save you?

 _Well, if this world won't protect the weak and defenseless, why don't we make a new one?_

Who… are you?


	4. Keyhole

For the game flash: 315 - prompt: minister

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4\. Keyhole

-Clavis prayed for the departed, as no one else could, really.

Alphamon had been lost a long time ago. It was almost ironic. If he understood irony at any rate. He had always been a straightforward kind of 'mon.

He would spend hours in the citadel, waiting for his friend to return. To come back and say to him: We can agree to disagree, on this. But of course, Alphamon was too hard hearted. He would never come.

Why would he? After all, humans came here to pray and humans were an existence he abhorred.

Yet even they needed prayer and love and guidance, much like Digimon. Was it so wrong to offer it, especially when they wandered into their world?

He could see Alphamon's eyes narrow in disgust. He had nothing to say with them.

To each their own in the end.


	5. Victory

_A/N;_ For the Game Flash Bingo 454 - character: Kain

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5\. Victory

Everything's been easy until now.

Everything's made sense so far.

He's gotten the respect, the power, he's always craved. It's so easy.

Then he loses. Over and over. He loses. First to a boy, a ragamuffin with a chipped up Digivice and a wild dragon. Then to them, them with everything as sparkling and new as his own, with eyes that told him to shove off and keep his hands to himself. Tomomi had laughed at him. Laughed! Like she was any better, the bloody-

No, no. He wouldn't do that. She still listened, she still followed him. Still.

Well, not really. She just found him entertaining, she usually did. She found boys entertaining. They didn't bore her easily.

So really. Just two people and a dead Digimon and all for what? Nothing.

Just. Perfect.

But he would get them. All he had to do was find some more fools, and power. And then he could use anyone he wanted.

It would be easy.


	6. A Piece of Them

For Digimon Game/Manga Flash Bingo 031 - prompt: divide

6\. A Piece of Them

Why not go?

The adults would want him to come quietly, play along, as children were supposed to do. As minors ought to. But he never has before.

 _(What good's that done ya?)_

He's relied on his instincts for so long, and they've kept him alive all these years. Why stop now?

Why not do what they want to do? Because Nokia would do that, because they would do that. Because Aiba was kind and stupid and weak and did not understand-

because he didn't want to lose. He couldn't lose. Not now. Not like this. This was his fight. The adults wouldn't dare be able to take it. Not like this. Never again.

He just had to keep saying it until he believed it. Until it became true. When Infermon attacked and nearly shattered a pile of papers and the window, he laughed and laughed. HE was the villain now (always was) he could get away with doing that.

(No, I'm good actually, you're very good, but never mind that. There's no safety in being good. None in being bad either.)

He thinks that he's so much more than he is.

He's completely wrong.


	7. Stages

_For manga/game flash bingo prompt: 213 - pairing: Ami/Yuugo_

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7\. Stages

Her heart's still beating. That's enough for him.

Her heart's beating, they haven't taken her from the ward. She's not gone. She's alive.

But he can't reach her. He can't prove it. He can't even walk.

Everything is quiet. When a part of her was eaten, he had entertained himself with her half-thoughts, her half-memories, even though he had known they would only be meant for nutrition and information… even though he knew that it was killing her in the end…

He had been greedy, hadn't he? For her. For everything she had, for some memory of the outside world? For something…

Was it his fault she was gone?

What could he do if it was?

It couldn't be.

He'd know if she woke up.

He'd know when she woke up.

He had to know.

He had to say sorry.

He had to do something.

But, in reality, Yuugo knew. He could do nothing.


	8. Cloudless

_For Digimon Manga/Game flash bingo 024 - prompt: birds_

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8\. Cloudless

The inevitable life cycle of a Digimon is painful to deal with.

Bit of an understatement, he knows but he cares about his partners and watching them die again and again as a simple issue of _programming_ is at the very least disheartening.

So each baby he gets, he trains and trains. He loves them anew. What choice does he have?But he canno get attached to them. Not in the same way. Respect is about all he can give.

Losing them really does hurt.

Except Peckmon is different. Peckmon is obedient but somehow talkative. He expresses opinions, even about things that they shouldn't know about. Digimon have feelings and hearts, Norn showed him so, she proved it.

However, it's entirely different when the worlds touch and Peckmon expresses.

He flies. He flies expertly in every battle. It hurts more than it should, to think about his Digimon's inevitable demise.

He doesn't want to.

So when his toy is crushed, when he goes to the digital world for the first time, Barbamon doesn't need much to guide him in. Just a promise of his friend being alive and being with Norn.

That's all. That's enough.


	9. Vacation

_For Game/Manga Flash 273 - prompt: dog_

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9\. Vacation

Sashenka loves Nikolai.

He does. Without shame. Without fear. Why not? They were partners, of course. It was only right to keep an eye on him, only right to worry about him.

Taht didn't mean it wasn't exhausting some days. Or most days. Or every day.

His master had a bad habit of muttering to himself. He wasn't good with his clothes. He cooked simple meals and was poor with numbers. His homework went unfinished until late and night when he fell asleep over it.

He and Taiga were the closest of friends.

It was lonely.

Digimaru didn't really mind but he was Digimaru and unfortunately hopelessly enamored by the very existence of a partner. He just wasn't a cynical 'mon and it was exasperating sometimes.

At least he didn't bother Sashenka during class. Just poor Taiga. Sashenka took the free moments to sleep. After all, he would be up late tonight.

Would Niko say anything different if he could hear him? He hoped so.

Or maybe he would say nothing at all? Sashenka wasn't sure if he wanted to know.


	10. Prescription

For Digimon Manga/Game Flash Bingo 337 - character: Masaken

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10\. Prescription

Masaken knows he doesn't really deserve sympathy, nor does he expect it. He had gone along with the whole 'conquer the world' thing after all, and he can always raise a new Digimon, but that didn't mean that his glasses deserved their destruction.

Oh rest in pieces ye old glasses and frames.

Unfortunately for him, Hikaru is there when he sputters out the lies and apologies for his mother. In his misguided way, he decides to help.

He needs to stop doing that.

"Seriously ma'am, I just stepped on them, honest."

His mother frowns with the strength of Olympic champions in each facial muscle. "And how did you end up stepping on them?"

"We got into a fight." Hikaru has a bad havit of chirping when he knows he's saying something stupid. Like if he sounds happy enough he can get away with it. Bastard.

Masaken feels his mother's stare turn on him. His face flushes a bright, hurt red and he glares at Hikaru.

It takes twenty minutes of exasperated excuses before she gives in to take him to get new ones.

Hikaru lasts not even a minute before he decks him into the nearest table. Surprisingly, his mother doesn't complain.


	11. Palm

For Digimon Manga/Game Flash 119 - prompt: possessive

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11\. Palm

Even gods bowed to logic, it seemed.

Barbamon would have laughed if he could have.

So close, it was so close to perfection, to the ultimate of ultimate powers. A Demon Lord in the right… who could say that all too often? Not Lucemon, Leviamon once in a great while, never Lillithmon or Demon, the fools.

But him? Ah, he knew the words to speak, especially to the vulnerable and the weak. He knew the emotions to play on. Just finding the people who could benefit from his words, finding those most receptive to the cause, it was a tiresome joy, but a joy none the less.

And now he had done it. Now he had the person who was needed the most, the ally who understood his ideals the most.

Yggdrasil was such a good creature.

It was nice to be right.


	12. Without Promise

_F Manga/Game Flash Bingo 163 - character: Kahara Sho_

* * *

12\. Without Promise

It's only now that it's over that Shou has a chance to understand just what he has done. Just what he lost.

He hadn't been able to think about Peckmon dying for more than a few moments. He hadn't even been able to mourn his friend after being turned into glass and plastic. HE hadn't had anything.

That was just the kind of person Barbamon had liked, wasn't it? That was what he needed. The vulnerable, the weak, the hopeless.

Those without promise.

 _Me_ , he thinks, laughing to himself. _Exactly like me._

No wonder he had ended up that way. But now he would do better. He had to. For Norn's sake, for his own sake.

It was that or let someone else take advantage of him. Never again. He couldn't. Dark DigiSoul was damaging physically. Who knew what could happen?

"Let's go," Peckmon," he uttered softly. The toy merely beeped.

That was enough for encouragement, he supposed.


	13. Beast of Burden

_For Digimon Game Flash Bingo 172 - prompt: overwrought_

* * *

13\. Beast of Burden

Shoutmon's dead out cold again.

Ballistamon doesn't know how to sleep. He pokes the inevitable snot bubble and gets a snorting sound in return. It's a very strange feeling on his metallic fingers.

The beetle doesn't sleep. He shuts down instead, turning into a hunk of metal that flowers twine around like vines. If he's there long enough, he'll likely rust. Shoutmon, king or not king, wouldn't let him do that.

Still, it's nice to escape him and the others for a quick roll into the forest. Dorulumon snored from his personal plush carpet, but Cutemon's ear sensors twitched. Beady eyes opened. Ballistamon waved his hand.

Simple, but effective. It led Cutemon to dozing off again once more. That was Ballistamon's motto in a nutshell.

Outside was cool crisp air and blessed silence. The moon went easily over his blue antenna. Ballistamon let out a pleasant, cracking sigh.

He would have to enjoy this. He didn't have much time to do so. There was a kingdom to run after all.


	14. Mindless

_For manga/game flash bingo 172 - prompt: overwrought_

* * *

14\. Mindless

Their master has a good, strong body, but that is all he can boast. It's a body made of two people, a body formed by a bond.

Whether it's forced or not. Well, really, that makes all the difference. After all, she is still in there. Which is plenty of entertainment on its own.

For now, however, they had plenty of work to do. The goal awaited them.

Meanwhile, the knight screamed and raved, throwing his lance at a target that had once held a face. Now there were just shreds of paper and broken glasses.

"Shademon!" barked the hulking, crouching creature. "To me!"

"… Yes, my master."

Oh he was so fun to watch.

Shademon smiled.


	15. Upon Us

_For Digimon Game/Manga Flash 341 - prompt: like_

* * *

15\. Upon Us

Tres did not have a childhood.

Prodigies weren't required to have one, especially experimental prodigies. They only had tasks to complete, things to do. Hers? She was to do battle. She was to win. She was to survive. If she couldn't do this as a human, then she would do it as a Digimon.

Her fingers, small and gloved, curled into themselves. She didn't want that. She didn't like that. It hurt. Every single time. So she had to win without it. Without debasing (yes she knew that word) herself. Without losing herself. She could do it. After all, she was the youngest here, and the smartest. She would find a way. It was the only path left to her, wasn't it? It had to be?

Her wings fluttered and she shook her head no. No to what she did not know. But… she knew what had to be done. And she would do it.

She was strong.


	16. No More Words

For the Digimon Manga/Game Flash 409 - prompt: hushed

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16\. No More Words

Thin lips and bright eyes.

Dominoes are people too,

The other way around still causes

pain, screams, sadness.

He is sorry.

He can only watch them -her-

cry.


End file.
